Tribal farmer commits suicide in Jharkhand over burnt crop

A 55-year-old tribal farmer, Buddhu Oraon, on Thursday committed suicide by jumping into a well after 80 quintals of his paddy crop was burnt in Jharkhand's Gumla district, police said.

Buddhu was under depression after some persons burnt his paddy crop on December 4, leading to a loss of around Rs 2 lakh. Buddhu had taken loan from some people in order to grow the crop.

He was a resident of Murgu Naktitola Kamta village, situated under Sisai police station of Gumla district, around 130 km from Ranchi.

Buddhu had sought assistance from the district administration of Gumla district to get over the losses. According to villagers, he sank into depression after not getting any assurance from the district administration.

Buddhu is the eighth farmer from Jharkhand to commit suicide this year.

Since creation of the state in 2000, this is first time that the number of farmers committing suicide has touched this figure.

Gumla is the home district of Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Duinesh Oraon. On Thursday, Speaker Duinesh Oraon visited the village of the dead farmer and handed over Rs 10,000 for his last rites.

"I will raise the issue in the state Assembly during the winter session so that the farmer can get compensation," he told reporters.

--IANS

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